The Afghan immigration suspension in the United States has intensified after officials halted all Afghan immigration requests following a high-profile shooting near the White House. The move has sparked national debate over security, vetting, and the future of Afghan arrivals who came to the US after the fall of Kabul in 2021.
US Cites Security Failures Under Afghan Immigration Suspension
US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it would pause all Afghan immigration applications while security protocols undergo an urgent review. This follows the identification of the shooting suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the US under Operation Allies Welcome in September 2021.
Authorities confirmed that he applied for asylum in 2024, receiving approval earlier this year. President Donald Trump condemned the attack as an “act of terror” and vowed to remove individuals “who do not belong here,” promising further restrictions tied to the Afghan immigration suspension.
Suspect Accused of Ambushing National Guard Patrol
The attack occurred on Wednesday afternoon near Farragut Square in Washington, DC, where National Guard soldiers were conducting a high-visibility patrol. Officials said the suspect “immediately started firing,” critically injuring two soldiers before being subdued by other Guard members nearby.
Witnesses described panic as people fled from the sound of gunfire. Video captured by bystanders showed medics treating the two soldiers and the suspect on the pavement moments after the shooting.
Policy Fallout Deepens Afghan Immigration Suspension
Following the incident, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard troops to Washington. More than 2,200 Guard members are already deployed as part of an ongoing anti-crime initiative launched earlier this year.
Trump had previously imposed travel bans on Afghanistan and several other countries, with narrow exceptions for Afghans holding Special Immigration Visas. His administration has also ended temporary protected status for Afghan nationals, a policy that once shielded thousands from deportation.
In the wake of the shooting, Trump said the US must “re-examine every single alien” who entered from Afghanistan under former President Joe Biden. The Afghan immigration suspension now places tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees in uncertainty as the government reassesses vetting systems introduced after the 2021 withdrawal from Kabul.
The Taliban’s return to power continues to complicate the prospects of Afghan refugees worldwide, and the latest suspension has renewed political tensions in Washington over security, migration, and humanitarian responsibility.
